Journal box lubricator



Nov. 8, 1955 c. sPRousl-z 2,723,167

lJOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR Filed April 17, 1952 s 'sheets-sheet 1 A i gli; (9..

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Nov. 8, 1955 c. sPRousE JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17, 1952 ATTY.

Nov. 8, 1955 c. sPRousE 2,723,167

JOURNAL Box LUBRICATOR Filed April 17, 1952 3 sheets-sheet s jf fe f7 60 /2 f2 j 7 3 f8 f7 da 5 f5 /2 /6 0 75l/en for ATTY atented Nov. 8, 1955 JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR Clifton Sprouse, Abbeville,fS. Application April 17, 1952, SierialNo. 282,755 2 Claims. (Cl. 308-86) This invention relates to a journal box lubricator and it is an object of the invention to provide a lubricator which eliminates the use of dope packing.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a 1ubr1- cator which is not limited in luse toY a lubricating oil of any one particular grade andv wherein oil placed withln the journal box is effectively applied to thejournal while the journal is in rotation.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a lubricator which is housed within the journal box and which includes an applicator pad for directv contact with the journal together with means whereby oil within the box is caused to saturate the pad.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a journal lubricator to be housed within the journal box and which includes a member for placement at the back of the box to eliminate substantially theloss of the oil within the box out through the rear opening of the "box,

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a journal lubricator for placement within the journal box and which includes an applicator pad contacting the journal together with means rotating with the journal box delivering oil within the box to the pad.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved journal box lubricator whereby certain advantages are attained, aswill be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be better understood, I will now proceed to describe lthe same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through a journal box and an applied lubricator constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, certain parts being in elevation;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view takeny substantially on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line I5 5 of Figure` 1;

Figure 6 is a view in elevation of theouterend of the Inthe embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings B denotes a conventional type of journal box having in its rear wall 1 the usual lopening 2 through which the journal A passes into the box.

i The bottom portion 3 of the box B constitutes a well for the desired lubricating oil which may be readily placed therein through the conventional opening 4 in the top portion of the front wall 5 of the box and which opening 4 is normally closed by the usual lid 6.

The rear wall 1 as herein embodied is the well known type provided with the upwardly facing slot 7 in which is received a dust guard 8.

`In the general type ofv journal boxes now in use there occurs a considerable` amount of waste of oil from within the journal box B out through the opening 2 of the rear wall 1. To overcome this loss a retainer R is provided and as disclosed in the accompanying drawings this retainer R comprises a body member 9 substantially semicircular in elevation and which substantially snugly its in the bottom or well portion 3 of the box B immediatelyy ladjacent to the rear wall 1. lThis member R is of a height or what may also be termed a transverse'width to extend above the lower marginal portion 'of the opening 2 of the rear wall 1 but a distance insufficient for direct contact with the inner portion of the journal A. The inner face of this body member 9 is provided therealong with a suitable packing strip 10` which has direct contact with the wall 1 to increase the eiiiciency of the retaining device R. The ends of the body member 9 are provided with the straight edges 11 substantially in parallelism and which coact with the side walls 12 of the box B to substantially avoid any tendency of the applied member journal having applied thereto the oil lift member herein the oil R to rotate with the journal A when in rotation and thereby assuring the member R properly underlying the journal A. v

The portion of the rear face ofthe body'member 9 extending above the opening 2 in the rear Wall 1 of the box B is provided from end to end of the body member 9 with a rabbet 14 open' at its ends and which readily accommodates the usual rear shoulder portion 15 of the journal A upon tendency of the journal A to move inwardly of the box and also to compensate for any slight up and down movement of either the journal A or the box B one with respect to the other. This rabbet -14 is of importance as `it substantially eliminates liability of injury to the applied retainer R.

The body member 9 is provided from end to end with an upwardly opening slot 16 of material depth and of the same depthv from end to end. Slidably and snugly extending from above within the slot 16 is an arcuate plate 17 `the upper edge of which being of substantially the same radius as that of the inner portion of the journal A. At the transverse center of this upper edge of the plate 17 from end to end thereof is a groove 18 in which is fitted a suitable packing or sealing strip 19 having direct contact with the journal A. Seated upon the bottom wall 20 of the box B at substantially the transverse center thereof` is an elongated bar 21 comprised in a holding element H for the retaining member R. What may` be termedA the rear end'of lthis bar 21 is provided with a short upstanding arni 22 substantially at right angles to the bar 21 and the upper or outer end of this bar 21 is rigid with the central portion of. an arcuate cross member 23 for direct contact with the lower portion of the body member 9 of the retainer R;k The opposite extremity of the bar 21 is continued by an arm 24 oilset a desired distance above the bar 21 ory in a direction toward the journal A. This arm -24 is straight from end to end and in a yplane vsubstantially parallely to the plane of the bar 21. The arm -24 is threaded and 'arranged' at the inner portion of the"v arm `24 is an abutment or nut 25 against which bears an expansible member-26 herein disclosed as a coil spring encircling the arm 24. This spring, in the present embodiment of the invention also bears against a shim 27 carried by a plate 2S through the upper central portion of which thearm 24 is freely directed. The lower margin vof the plate 28k is arcuate for direct `Contact from above with the lower portion of the front wall 5 of the box which, as herein disclosed is disposed on an outward and upward curvature. The upper ymarginal portion of the plate 2S is here shown as straight from end to end and defined by an voutwardly or forwardly disposed ange 2? at its central portion and at right angles to the plate 28. This ange fhas its ,outer end in contact with the front wall 5, as is shown in Figure l, so that the plate 2S will be maintained in eteotive position to assure proper resistance to the expansible member or spring 26 so that the cross member 23 will bear against the body member 9 under sufficient tension to maintain said body member 9 against the rear wall 1 of the journal box B.

A Cotter pin 30 or the .like is disposed through the arm 24 outwardly of the plate 2S to prevent complete removal or separation of the 4plate 28 of ythe arm 24. The tension of the member or spring may be regulated as required by adjusting the head or nut 25 along the arm 24. The shim 27 does not have to be employed at all times be cause under certain conditions vthe spring 26 may be caused to have direct contact with the plate 28. When it is desired to dispense with the use of the shim 27 the same may be readily adjusted to one side of the arm 24. This adjustment is permissible in View of the fact that the shim 27 is provided with a laterally disposed arm 31 of desired length and carrying a pivot member 32 freely and slidably disposed through the slot 33 in the upper portion of the plate 28. The shim 27 is provided lat substantially its transverse center with anopen slot 34 whereby in applying the shim 27 it may readily straddle the arm 24. v

The plate 28 adjacent to the opposite ends has pivotally engaged therewith extremities of the rods 35. The opposite extremities of the rods 35 are provided with an outwardly disposed short `arm 36 having at its outer extremity an inwardly and laterally disposed hook member 37 which operatively engages with one kot the usual wedge lugs 38 depending from a side portion of the top wall 39 of the box B closely adjacent the front thereof. The wedge 40 and the brass 41 are conventional and form no part of thepresent invention.

The rods 35, as it is believed to be obvious, serve to further hold the plate 2S in desired position in the forward portion of the box B. These rods 36 possess a certain degree of inherent resiliency.

Again referring to the plate 17 it is to be noted that it is of a width to allow the same to have substantially universal up and down movement within the slot 16 of the body member 9 in order to compensate for the various movements other than rotation of the journal A. The plate 17 is constantly urged upwardly by the coil springs 42 housed within the slot 16 of the body member 9. Each of these springs 42 has one end portion secured, as at 43, to the plate 17 and its opposite end portion tubularly attached, as at 44, to the adjacent upper portion of the body member 9.

When the retainer R is placed in position within the box B and with respect to the journal A, the springs v42 will be placed under tension by the resultant inward movement of the plate 17 within the slot 16.

Readily insertible within the box B for position below the journal A is an oil applicator of one piece sheet metal indicated asa unit C. This unit comprises an arcuate bottom portion or a basket 45 of sheet metal. This basket 45 is of desired length and arcuate in cross section with its inbow disposed toward the journal A. Struck out from the .central portion of the basket 45 are .theleg members 46 which have :direct contact with the bottom wall 2i) of the box B .andthe side margins :of the basket 45 are provided with the reverted flanges 47 which overlie the side marginal portions of an applicator pad 48 whereby such pad 48 is held in applied position within the basket 45.

The pad 48 is of any desired absorbent material, preferably woven, and which initially has a fixed formation. This pad is of such thickness to place the legs 46 under tension when the applicating .unit C is applied so that the central inbow portion 49 of the pad 48 will have desired close contact with the journal A. As before stated the legs 46 are struck out from the basket 45 and this results in the slots Sil in the basket 45 through which oil within the well or bottom por-tion 3 of the box being absorbed by the lpad so that such lubricant may be carried to the journa The top marginal faces of the pad 48 have their inner major portions of their areas disposed on a downward incline, as at 51, toward the portion 49 of the pad and theseface portions 51 yare also longitudinally inclined from the rear toward the front. The lparticular character of these faces 51 assure oil delivered thereon to ow from fone end of the .pad to the other and toward the central portion 49 whereby the best `distribution of such lubricating oil is accomplished.

Provided above .each llongitudinal margin or end of the basket 45 is a splash plate 52. Each splash plate 52 at its rear portion is provided with a depending extension 53 which zis suitably anchored, as at 54, to` the rear portion of the basket I45. This splash .plate 52 is of a length to lterminate beyond the forward end of the basket 45 and beyond the outer end of the journal A within the box. The major rear portion of the plate 52 is of a height to pass funder the holding lug 55 carried by the adjacent side wall 12 of the Abox kand which lug 55 coacts in a well known vmanner with an outstanding lug 56 of the brass 41.

The outer or free end portion yof -each of the walls is of a height, as `at 57, to .extend above the horizontal center of the journal A. The outer extremity of this portion 57 Ais Adeiined by `an inwardly disposed iiange 58 the lower end portion of which being continued along by the inwardlyand downwardly ytlange 5? at the lower longitudinal margin of the portion 59 of the plate 52. The lower marginal portion of the part 57 of the plate 52 extends below the plate 52 and extending from said lower marginal portion is a rearwardly disposed trough 69. The ange 59 is continued by the outer wall of the trough and the trough 60 is disposed on a predetermined inward and downward incline :so that its free end will overiie the rear portion of a face 51 of the pad 43 and discharge thereon.

Fitted .on and surrounding the outer or free end of the journal A is an :annular member 61. This member 61 snugly engages this outer end portion of the journal A is provided with diametrically opposed openings 62 which are adapted to register with oppositely opposed sockets 63 in the periphery of the outer extremity of the journal A. Inwardly .face hook members 64 are operatively engaged through `and into the registering openings 62 and sockets 63 to lock the member 61 to the journal A. These Vhook-members64 are carried by the outer extremities of `the arms 65 which extend across the outer end face of the journal A and are operatively connected in any conventional manner with a lever 66 whereby the hook members 64 may be 'effectively held in working position or lreadily removed. It is believed to` be obvious that any other means ydesired may be employed for removably holding the member 61 in applied position.

The member 61 at its outer marginal portion is provided at `suitable points therearound with the inwardly disposed ears 67 for contact with the outer end of the journal A to limit the 4extent of insertion of the member 61 .upon ythe .extremity `of the journal. This inner marginal portion of the member 61 is defined by an outstanding and. substantially perpendicularly related icontinuous ange 68. The periphery of `this ange 58 has 5 struck laterally therefrom the relatively small blades 69 with adjacent blades in relatively close proximity.

As the journal A rotates within the box B the flange 68 of the member 61 will travel through the oil in the lower well portion of the box and carry oil inwardly and throv the same against the forward portions 57 of the splash plate 52. Such oil thrown upon these portions 57 will be delivered by gravity to the flange 59 and carried therefrom by the trough 60 to the rear portion of the faces 51 of the pad 48 and thus further assure proper saturation of thc pad 48 or effective lubrication of the journal A.

The splash plates 52, by contact with the lugs 55, serve to hold the basket 45 in place when the rotation of the journal A has a tendency to move the basket upwardly at either side of the journal.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a journal box lubricator constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly Well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

l. In an oil lubricator for journal boxes, including a box and a journal, an oil applicator of one-piece sheet metal within the box and comprising a body formed to provide perforated arcuate bottom portion spacediy underlying and partially encircling the journal, legs struck out from said bottom portion and resting on the bottom of the box for supporting the applicator in place relatively to the journal, reverted flanges extending outwardly from the side edges of said bottom portion, splash plates rising from the outer side edges of said anges in close proximity to the sides of the box, a packing seated on said bottom portion, a rearwardly and downwardly sloping trough supported on the inner side of each of the splash plates to discharge oil received therein onto underlying side portions of the packing adjacent the inner ends I thereof, an annular oil lift f end of the journal for rotation therewith, means for detachably securing said lift element on the journal end, and blades on the outer periphery of said lift element for element mounted on the outer discharging the lifted oil against said splash plates above the outer end portions of said troughs for its drainage therefrom into the troughs, the bottom portion of the applicator being partially immersed in the Oil within the lower portions of the box for direct absorption of the oil by the packing through the perforations in the said bottom portion.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, with the said means comprising a pair of arms extending in alignment diametrically across the end face of the journal, hooks formed at the outer ends of said arms and engaged through openings formed in said lift element, a series of ears equally spaced about the outer side of said lift element and projecting inwardly beyond the inner periphery thereof to abut the end face of the journal for limiting the extent of engagement of the lift element on the journal end, and a lever connecting the inner ends of said arms to effect engagement of said hooks with or the disengagement of the same from sockets formed in the periphery of the journal registered with the openings in the lift element.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 51,276 Aerts Nov. 28, 1865 634,860 Smith Oct. 10, 1899 1,493,644 Phee May 13, 1924 2,143,249 Pool Jan. 10, 1939 2,565,476 Crabtree Aug. 28, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 476,276 Germany May 13, 1929 

